2010 Memage

2010s Meme

( this is an insanely long meme, just saying )

Hmmm...

I'm trying to think of the best television series, books, movies, etc of the decade.
But I don't know. So much is a blur.

My mother told me that her friend, who we had dinner with last night -- thought I seemed very happy and asked if I was happy? I have to say I was the happiest this Christmas. The last four, I was depressed. What changed? Meditation. I learned how to find happiness inside myself and not worry about the external things that I've little control over. Also, my parents appeared to be doing rather well, as was the rest of my family and friends.

(no subject)

I'm back from South Carolina. Flight went well, although there was one poor woman who spent an insane amount of time in the bathroom. Also, the cab ride home almost took as long as the plane flight. Actually I think it took the same amount of time.
And was far less pleasant -- no snacks, drinks, bathroom or cheerful airline stewardesses. Not to mention more stressful.

Had a pleasant holiday. My father is so much better than he was the last two times I visited. He's walking with a cane now and sometimes without it. (Before it was a wheel chair and a walker). Also, he's not as confused as he was before, and he can hold a conversation. He does still have issues with words, and remembering what day of the week it is -- but then so do I, sometimes. Also spatial relationships are difficult. (He has rear brain altzheimers like the late great writer Terry Prachett). It's painful at times -- my father was a very good artist, and meticulous, now he's sort of more abstract and his art work is reminiscent of a child's watercolors, when before it was amazing. Also he can't write at all and he was an excellent writer, and struggles with reading (avid reader) -- but he does read still. He's making the best of it, sleeps a lot, is social, and watches sports and news mainly. Not bad for 84 years of age. We had dinner with friends of theirs last night, and they were 102 and 85 respectfully. I don't want to live to 102. Although he didn't a look a day over 78.

Over the holiday, saw a few things on television, and a repertory production of the musical "Kiss Me Kate" (which being a musical adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew, with a score by Cole Porter, was understandably sexist. Also it's a 1940s musical, so there's that. They did tone it down a little but not by much.) It was well done for the most part, excellent singers and dancers. They have a rather good repertory company on the island. But it's a bit long. The first act is an hour and a half, the second about one hour. The second is faster. I still think they should cut a few numbers -- if I did it, I'd cut a few numbers or at the very least shorten them.

Other things I saw:
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While down there, my parents watched the news a lot. They even tape it. CNN, ABC, PBS...and BBC World News. (The only one I could stomach was BBC World News). So I spent the time on FB and Twitter -- to distract myself while they watched the news. It would have been rude to leave the room -- tried that last year and it didn't work. So this year, I played on the phone.

As a result of this -- I got to see "Twitter" blow up with a WAR between the Romance Novelists and RWA. I've been following shipperX, Courtney Milan, Elizabeth Hoyt, Rose Lerner, and Cat Sebastain...and apparently shortly before Xmas, RWA (Romance Writers Association of America) decided to suspend Milan for one year from membership and ban her for life from having a leadership position. ( The Romance Writer WAR )

The other fights I watched were on FB. I briefly engaged.
( Read more... )

(no subject)

The slow inevitable death of the Romance Writers Association

This is an insane read of how an organization should NOT be run.

Edited to add...uhm, apparently Rise of Skywalker can be watched in 4D, which means you can get beaten up by your chair during the movie. Friend who saw it in 4D, said "Because nothing enhances film appreciation like getting beaten up by your chair" - she felt like she was on an episode of Distraction. (I don't know what Distraction is either - your guess is as good as mine.)

But I hunted down a review of 4D, to see if she was joking, she is not. (see link above to 4 D description.)

( spoilers )

Well, this certainly explains a lot of the reviews about the problems with the movie. It was not designed to be a movie -- but an amusement park ride.

While there are notable issues in the story and action of The Rise of Skywalker, the best way to see the sequel trilogy capper is 4DX, if you have a theater near you that offers it. What J.J. Abrams and company have created is a nonstop series of quests that includes space battles, Force lightning, skiffing over giant waves, and an in-atmosphere ground assault on a Star Destroyer over a misty planet. It’s like the whole movie was designed to be an amusement park ride, and your local multiplex might have the equipment to play it as one.

Sigh. I think I may pass. I'm not sure my blood pressure or for that matter tendency towards motion sickness can handle being tossed about and beaten up by my chair. Then again -- it may make the movie more interesting?

Although I have yet to find anything that explains the utter insanity that is CATS.
This review however... may well have you almost crying with laughter over craziness of the movie CATS.
The reviews of that movie are crazy. Weirdly, I think people are enjoying making fun of CATS more than seeing Skywalker.